I'll Never Leave You Behind"
by Amaterasu Rising
Summary: Where it begins: Jessie’s finally moving up in Team Rocket. But Giovanni has his mind on other things. How will James and Meowth handle being left behind? And will they all see what’s really going on in time? Read on, in this first installment of my J
1. The Call

Where it begins: Jessie's finally moving up in Team Rocket. But Giovanni has his mind on other things. How will James and Meowth handle being left behind? And will they all see what's really going on in time? Read on, in this first installment of my JAJRN, "I'll never Leave You Behind."  
  
[Author's notes in brackets]  
  
I'll Never Leave You Behind by Tap M.  
  
Jessie and James, grunts of the infamous Team Rocket, were relaxing in a peaceful forest one day. They had just sat down to lunch. Jessie was enjoying a bowl of wonton soup. James was scarfing down a hoagie. Meowth, their loyal Pokemon companion, was drinking some spring water.  
  
"What a great day," Jessie sighed. James nodded, his mouth full of cold cuts.  
  
Voices could be heard from the road near the clearing where they were sitting. "Ash, I'm tired of walking," a female voice said. "We've been walking for two whole days, and we aren't any closer to Viridian City than we were before!"  
  
"Oh, and you think you have all the answers," a familiar male voice shot back. "You couldn't navigate your way out of a paper bag."  
  
"It's the brats," Jessie and James whispered in unison. It was their enemies, Ash Ketchum, Misty Waterflower and Brock Slate, three young Pokemon trainers who always managed to foil Team Rocket's diabolical plans. Ash had an exceptionally powerful Pikachu. Jessie and James wanted to hand it over to the boss, Giovanni. Then they wouldn't be failures anymore. "Come on, James," Jessie said, tossing her bowl aside. "We're gonna snag that Pikachu."  
  
James remained on the grass. "But Jessie," he whined. "I'm not finished."  
  
"We'll be finished if we don't get Pikachu," Jessie yelled.  
  
"We've tried every trick we know to catch it," James pointed out. "How are we going to get it?"  
  
"There's one we haven't tried," she said. "Brute force."  
  
James looked puzzled. "Force?"  
  
"Just watch." Jessie waited until Ash and his friends approached. She jumped out of the bushes and seized Ash's arms behind his head, making it unable for him to get free.  
  
"Prepare for trouble," she said.  
  
James' head popped up from behind a hedge. "And make it double."  
  
"To protect the world from devastation."  
  
"To unite all people's within our nation."  
  
"To denounce the evils of truth and love."  
  
"To extend our reach to the stars above."  
  
"Jessie!"  
  
"James!"  
  
"Team Rocket blast off at the speed of light."  
  
"Surrender now, or prepare to fight!"  
  
"Meowth, that's right."  
  
Chaos broke out. Misty and Brock ran at Jessie. "Let him go," Misty threatened.  
  
"Or what, little girl," Jessie said. "Get any closer and I'll break his arms off."  
  
"Owww," Ash cried.  
  
"Pikapi," Pikachu said, scrambling away. [I don't speak Pikachu. You'll have to fill in what you think Pikachu is saying.]  
  
James was armed with a garbage bag. He caught up with Pikachu and scooped it into the bag. "Gotcha."  
  
Jessie's grip on Ash tightened. He screamed in pain. "I got it," James said, joining his partner.  
  
Jessie laughed. "The boss is going to love this." Her hip started buzzing. She looked down. "Damn. James, could you see who's paging me," she asked, pointing her hip at James.  
  
He carefully plucked her pager from her waistband. "It's the boss," he said, astonished.  
  
"The boss?" Jessie's eyes widened. "What on earth could he want?"  
  
James shrugged. "Why don't we call him and see?" He reached into his pocket and retrieved his cell phone. He dialed Giovanni's office number. He held the receiver to Jessie's ear.  
  
"This is Giovanni," he said gruffly.  
  
"Hello, boss," Jessie said tentatively. "You paged me?"  
  
"Yes," he said. He sounded pleased. "Listen, I want you here in Viridian on the double. I'm looking forward to seeing you at HQ."  
  
"But, we've just captured a Pikachu," James protested.  
  
"I don't care about trivial garbage like that," Giovanni roared. "Just get here. That's an order!"  
  
Click. The phone went dead.  
  
[I know TR doesn't have pagers and cell phones and all, but it is the 21st century now, and everyone has them.]  
  
"What do we do," James asked, trying to keep Pikachu from escaping.  
  
"What do you mean, James," Jessie said. "We do what the boss told us to, dummy! Come on." She released Ash and made James deposit the garbage bag. She grabbed James' arm and dragged him to Viridian.  
  
"Ash," Misty said, trying to help Ash up. "Are you okay?"  
  
Ash stood up shakily. "Yea, but my right shoulder is killing me."  
  
"Let's get you to a hospital," Brock said. 


	2. The Promotion

Jessie, James and Meowth hurried through the forest towards Viridian City. James was afraid of what Giovanni wanted. He knew that Giovanni's patience was wearing thin. Maybe he'd chosen to fire them.  
  
"Jessie, what do you think the boss wants," he said.  
  
"I don't know," Jessie replied. "But we need to pick up the pace." She spied a moped leaning against a tree. She looked at James. They smiled. They hopped on it, revved the engine, and sped off to Viridian.  
  
Team Rocket Headquarters was a large building in downtown Viridian. It was disguised as a business structure, which wasn't far from the truth. In addition to being the President of Team Rocket, Giovanni was a successful and wealthy businessman. He owned stock in many lucrative companies, he invested in precious metals, and he owned several other business ventures. He conducted many of his business affairs in his office, as well as tending to the daily operations of Team Rocket. Jessie and James stood on the steps at the building's facade. "Well, let's go," Jessie said uncertainly. They passed the receptionist into the elevator. Giovanni's office was on the thirteenth floor [Yea, I know this is cheesy, but I thought it kind of fit]. James pressed the "13" button. They rode up in silence.  
  
Giovanni's secretary, a short young woman with blonde hair, bustled them out of the elevator. "Giovanni's waiting for you," she said. James followed Jessie. "Oh, I'm sorry, sir," she told James. "Giovanni requested Jessica only."  
  
"What? But we're a team!"  
  
"Sorry, but those were Giovanni's explicit instructions," she said. "You may go right in, Jessica."  
  
Jessie stepped into Giovanni's dark office. The walls were lined with tall bookshelves, full of thick books. In a corner was a droopy plant. It looked like it hadn't been watered in days. In the center of the room stood a wide oak desk. On the desk were pencil cups, a notepad, a phone, and a framed picture of Giovanni with someone who looked like Bill Gates. They were shaking hands. A silver nameplate on the edge of the desk read, "Giovanni Noire". [I don't know what Giovanni's real last name is, so I made one up. "Noir" is French for "black", so I just tacked on an extra "e" to make it look good] A tall black leather chair faced the window. The blinds were drawn.  
  
Jessie cleared her throat. Giovanni spun around slowly to face her. He was stroking his Pokemon of choice, Persian, who sat on his lap. "I'm glad you made it here so quickly, Jessica," he said. "It shows me you're on the ball." Persian jumped off his lap and sauntered over to a bowl marked, "Kitty". Giovanni leaned forward. "I'm going to be blunt with you. I used to think you had absolutely nothing to contribute to Team Rocket. But I am seeing that I was wrong. I want to promote you, Jessica."  
  
Jessie was floored. "What? Me?"  
  
"Yes, you," he said. "Your talents are being wasted running around with that idiot, James." He stood up and went to the blinds. He peered through the cracks. "I don't know why I hired him in the first place. Now, you can put him and all your previous failures behind you. I need a personal assistant. You will be perfect for the job. You will answer my calls, file my paperwork, take messages, bring me coffee, basically, attending to my needs so I can pay attention to the workings of Team Rocket."  
  
"Um, boss, this is all very cool," she said. "But it's kind of out of the blue."  
  
"You can handle it." He escorted her to the door. "See you tomorrow morning." He playfully smacked her rear as she went out. She felt strange. She was filled with pride about Giovanni's faith in her abilities, but at the same time anxious and nervous about her duties. What if she messed up? And why was he behaving so strangely?  
  
"Jessie," James exclaimed, leaping out of his chair. "What happened?"  
  
"I've been promoted," she said.  
  
"What?"  
  
"I'm Giovanni's personal assistant now."  
  
"What does that mean?"  
  
"I have to help him with his personal needs so he can pay attention to Team Rocket."  
  
"You mean, be his slave?"  
  
"No, James! It takes a lot of patience and time to be the leader of this Team. He needs more time, and if I take care of the little stuff, he can focus on the big stuff." Why am I so adamant about this, she thought. I'm not sure about anything at all.  
  
"So, then, what about me?"  
  
Jessie looked at her longtime partner. She had called him all kinds of terrible names, but she couldn't bring herself to tell him what Giovanni said about him. It was just too harsh. "He said that it's my time to move on, and there's just no room for anyone else in the executive branch," she said after a long pause.  
  
James looked crushed. "So then, you're leaving me behind?"  
  
"Maybe someday you'll make it up there too." As soon as she said it, she regretted it. She hated giving him false hope. As long as Giovanni was alive, he'd see to it that James was kept at the bottom of Team Rocket.  
  
"Sure," he said sarcastically. "Come on, Meowth."  
  
"Bye, Jess," Meowth said.  
  
"Goodbye," Jessie whispered at James' back. 


	3. The One and Only

Meanwhile, Misty and Brock had managed to get Ash to the nearest Pokemon Center, for the hospital was too far away to walk, and Ash was in great pain. Ash was sitting on a table in the examining room, looking at the X-rays and MRI's done on his damaged shoulder. "As you can see, Ash, you've fractured your right clavicle," Nurse Joy said. "I called a doctor from town, and he's coming to set your shoulder in the morning. For now, I can give you a sling. It's very important that you don't try to use your right arm at all. You could cause serious damage. I can also give you a pain killer that will help you sleep." She rummaged through her supplies and came up with a black sling. She gently put it on Ash. "If you need anything, I'll be on duty all day and all night."  
  
Ash swallowed the pills Joy had left him. "A broken collarbone. This is just great." He looked out the window. "I'm right handed! What am I gonna do?"  
  
Misty sat in a chair by his side. "We can help you, can't we, Brock," she said. No answer. "Brock?" Brock had followed Joy into the lobby. "He's useless," she sighed.  
  
James was sitting in a tree, looking through the window at Ash and Misty. Pikachu was sitting at the foot of the table, eating an apple that Misty had fetched for him. "It was all Jessie's fault that we lost Pikachu," James said, enraged.  
  
"How is it her fault," Meowth challenged. "The boss paged her. She didn't do nothin'. Even a dope like you should see that." James whacked him.  
  
"Why did she have to go," James said. He pulled a picture out of his pocket. It was one of his favorites: a picture of them in the bike gang days, wearing studded leather and wildly colored hair. He had met Jessie when they were very young. She was in his Pokemon Breeding 101 class at Pokemon Tech. She joined his study group. They got mediocre grades, just enough to get by. Then, the big exit exam came, which they failed miserably. They got the lowest scores in the history of the Tech. They had stayed out all night partying before the exam, instead of studying. James' parents were embarrassed and ashamed of his failure, and wouldn't allow him to come home. Jessie never really had a family. Her parents and siblings were all too busy to pay attention to her. Seeing as there was no other way, they dropped out of school and joined a bike gang. Jessie quickly became a favorite among the members of the gang. Soon, their mean streaks took over, and, intrigued by Team Rocket, they signed up with the evil organization. Jessie had been by his side every day since they met. They were more than partners, they were best friends. He had always been in awe of her poise, beauty, and fashion sense... "And now she's gone," he said.  
  
Ash's broken bone slowed his Pokemon adventures. He relied heavily on Brock and Misty for help. He had yet to challenge a gym leader since Jessie broke his collarbone. He was uncertain how he could be a whole person when his bone wasn't in one piece. The pain got to him too. He was reluctant to be helpless, but Brock and Misty attended to his needs without making him feel like an invalid. They had decided to go back to Pallet Town so Ash could recuperate at his house, with his mom. Ash fought it at first, but he missed his mom so much he gave in.  
  
James wasn't far behind. He trailed them, along with Meowth, thinking of an appropriate plan to catch Pikachu. "Maybe if I catch it, the boss will be so impressed he'll promote me too," James said, more to himself.  
  
"Why, so you can be with Jessie," Meowth razzed. James punted him.  
  
"Okay, we can cut through Viridian, then to the forest, which will take us to Route 1, and that leads to Pallet," Ash said, looking at the map Brock was holding.  
  
"Good," Misty said. "Let's go!"  
  
"Pi-pikachu," Pikachu agreed.  
  
James followed them all the way to Pallet. Meowth was nowhere to be found since James punted him. The silence gave him time to think. All he could see in his mind was Jessie. He remembered all their disguises, all their antics. When they were trapped on the St. Anne after it had sunk, she'd said, "I'll never leave you behind. We're a team." [I think that's more or less what she said.] "Jessie," he wailed, tears falling from his eyes. "You did! You left me behind," he yelled.  
  
Ash sharply turned around. "What the--"  
  
"Prepare for trouble," James shouted from the road.  
  
The three friends looked at each other, puzzled.  
  
"She burst my bubble," James said sadly.  
  
"To exact revenge on she who hurt me  
  
I'll show her how much of a man I could be  
  
She'll be sorry she left me in the dust  
  
She's broken my faith and my trust  
  
James, the one and only  
  
Team Rocket is now a one-man show  
  
The emptiness I feel, you couldn't know."  
  
James stared at Ash and Pikachu. "What was that," Ash asked.  
  
"Jessie's gone," James said flatly.  
  
"Gone?"  
  
"Yea, she's been promoted."  
  
"So, it's just you?"  
  
"Yes." He hung his head. Nothing could fill his heart the way Jessie did. Not even getting revenge on his enemies by swiping Pikachu. "Why don't you just hang onto that Pikachu. Without Jessie, it's not worth it. Just never leave your friends behind." He ran down the road, sobbing.  
  
Ash's mother had heard the commotion and came out to the road. "What on earth is going on," she asked. She saw her son and his friends. "Ash! You've come home! Oh, what happened?"  
  
"Just a little accident, a broken collarbone," he replied.  
  
"Oh, my baby," she said, smothering him. "Come home now. I'll make you all better." 


	4. The Truth

Jessie was ready for her first day at her new job. She had chosen a mauve business suit and black pumps. She entered Giovanni's office. He wore a lecherous smile. "Jessica, that's a lovely suit. But tomorrow, wear something... nicer. Here's your work for the day." He handed her a thick stack of papers. "I need these faxed to my office in Celadon. Then I need copies of them both filed and saved on the database. The program is easy to use. Around one is lunch. We often order Chinese. When all this is done, come see me." He turned and left.  
  
She sat behind the desk, shuffling through papers. She shivered. It's awfully cold in here, she thought. I have to remember to bring a sweater. While she did her work, she pondered what Giovanni meant when he said to "wear something nicer". Walking back to her desk in between copying and faxing, she noticed all the female employees were wearing short skirts, high heels and low-cut, thin blouses.  
  
Days passed. Giovanni complimented her work every day, but the way his eyes traveled up and down her body when he spoke to her made her uncomfortable. She buried her strange feelings by becoming more productive and busier. The more work she had, the less time she had to think about it. James, meanwhile, was getting worse. He missed Jessie more as time passed. He started drinking. Most times, he was drunk. Meowth left him because of.  
  
One day, during lunch, Giovanni stopped at Jessie's desk. "A colleague of mine is holding an art auction tonight," he said, sitting on the corner of the desk. He tried to look down her blouse without being obtrusive. "It's a very fancy affair. I told him I'd have my new executive on my arm."  
  
Jessie poked at a potsticker. "Oh? That sounds very nice, sir," she said absently.  
  
"I mean, you," he raged, not bothering to check his anger.  
  
"ME?" Jessie dropped her chopsticks.  
  
"Yes, your time has come," Giovanni said. "Of course, to make it official, I have to evaluate your performance and document it."  
  
"Oh," Jessie said. "Tonight is the auction?"  
  
"Yes, I'll see you at eight."  
  
Jessie sprinted home after work. She had closets full of every kind of clothing imaginable, mostly from her adventures with James. "James," she said, holding up a long ruby red gown that she wore while trying a scam to catch Pikachu. "I'll call him." She dialed his cell phone. It rang twice, then someone picked up. All she could hear was crying and yelling. Someone was shouting hysterically. "James," she said urgently. The phone hung up.  
  
Giovanni arrived at five minutes to eight, wearing a tuxedo. He escorted Jessie into his limo. He offered her a rose. They arrived at the art hall. She mingled and mixed with all of Giovanni' cohorts. It seemed all those in the wicked community were there. James somehow managed to get his foot in the door. He'd come to win back Jessie. First, he wanted to get his hands on Giovanni. "He took her away from me," he growled, downing glass after glass of champagne. He was on Giovanni's heels all night. He could overhear bits of conversation. "You get all these lovely women working for you. How do you do it?" "Giovanni has a taste for beautiful women." "He can get any woman to fall in love  
  
With him, and do whatever he wants." "Did you know he's slept with 200 women this year?"  
  
"He's using Jessie," James exclaimed. He rushed to find her, but he swayed. He had way too much to drink. Jessie was at the bar, ordering a martini. "Jessie," James cried, falling into her arms.  
  
"James," she asked. He looked awful. His Team Rocket uniform looked like it hadn't been washed in a while. His hair was greasy, and his breath reeked of hard liquor. "What happened to you? What are you doing here?"  
  
"Jessie, Giovanni wants you for your body," he said, slurring his words.  
  
"What?" She looked confused. "I can't understand a thing you're saying."  
  
"Giovanni's an awful man," he pressed.  
  
"James, he's the richest, most powerful man in Kanto. He just promoted me, in fact. I'm a new executive."  
  
"No, Jessie, you have to quit!"  
  
"You're just jealous," she said angrily. "I can't believe it James! I finally get somewhere, and all you can do is come here and make an ass out of yourself, and insult me!" She pushed past him.  
  
James had ruined Jessie's evening. She dared not tell Giovanni about it. He'd fly into a rage about it, and possibly hurt James. Besides, she had her evaluation to think about. 


	5. The Fight

James was deeply cut by Jessie's denial. The next day, he was spray painting thinks like, "Giovanni is a Pig" on the outside walls of Team Rocket HQ. Ash, Misty, Brock, and Delia [Ash's mom] who were heading to a movie, passed him. Giovanni and Jessie were in Giovanni's office. "What exactly do I have to do," Jessie asked.  
  
Giovanni smiled lewdly. "There's only one way to seal the deal, now, Jessica."  
  
"Sir, um, why do you call me 'Jessica'?"  
  
"I think it sounds much more professional, don't you," he said, standing. "And please, call me Giovanni." He stood as close to her as possible.  
  
Jessie smushed herself against the wall. Giovanni had her pinned. "Jessica, you're the most beautiful employee I've ever had."  
  
She scooted past him, behind the desk. He faced her on the other side. "Giovanni, I'd rather not do this." He reached for her, catching her blouse. In one quick motion, he tore it off. She gasped. He tossed the garment behind him, and advanced upon her. He held her arms still, and pushed his body over hers on the desk. "Giovanni, please don't," she begged, sobbing. She managed to break free. She grabbed the first thing she saw--a heavy lead crystal paperweight. She tried to bash his head with it, but she missed. It smashed through the window instead.  
  
It barely missed hitting James in the head. He looked up and saw the shards of glass raining down on him. He screamed and dove out of the way. He heard a shriek come from the broken window. "It's Jessie," he said, running to her rescue. He didn't bother with the elevator; he ran up thirteen flights of stairs. He pushed past anyone in his way. He reached Giovanni's office. He pressed his ear to the door. He could hear Jessie sobbing. With a mighty kick, he broke down the door.  
  
"What is this," Giovanni roared.  
  
"How could you do this," James raged.  
  
"James!" Jessie fought to get free. Giovanni held her down against the desk.  
  
"I'll teach you," James said. "Weezing, go!"  
  
"Ha," Giovanni scoffed. "You think that pathetic thing could affect me? [I decided against Gio using his Mewtwo, so I just gave him a few other kick-ass Pokemon] Get them, Vaporeon!"  
  
James said, "Weezing, smokescreen!"  
  
Gio cried, "Vaporeon, acid armor!"  
  
" Sludge!"  
  
Vaporeon disappeared into a puddle, so sludge didn't hit it.  
  
" Now, finish it with surf!"  
  
A huge wave of water washed Weezing away.  
  
"No," James said. "Weezing!" He turned to Giovanni. "You'll pay!"  
  
Ash and company where heading back from the movie when they saw the shattered window with smoke pouring out of it at Team Rocket HQ. "Look," Brock said, pointing.  
  
"What the hell's going on," Misty asked.  
  
"Let's go!" Ash ran off.  
  
"Wait a minute!"  
  
The three Pokemon trainers stopped in their tracks. Delia stood before them with her hands on her hips. "Ash, you're in no shape to battle," she said. "You're staying right here."  
  
"Mom, no," Ash wailed. Delia looked at him sternly.  
  
"Sorry, man," Brock said, slapping Ash on the back. He and Misty ran into the building. Ash sat on the grass, pouting.  
  
The stairwell was filled with thick smoke. "Ugh, this is awful," Brock said. "Come on!" They ran up the stairs to Giovanni's office. They saw James facing off with Giovanni, and Jessie lying across the desk.  
  
"What do you want," James said.  
  
"We want to help," Misty said.  
  
"Wha?"  
  
"Go, Golbat," Brock cried, tossing a Pokeball into the foray.  
  
"Misty calls, Starmie," Misty shouted.  
  
[Battle]  
  
"Golbat, confuse ray!"  
  
Golbat confused Vaporeon.  
  
"Starmie, Thunderbolt!" [In the show, their Pokemon have sucky moves. I gave them good moves like my Pokemon have. Misty's Starmie is a carbon copy of my own in this story]  
  
The blast sent Vaporeon flying.  
  
Giovanni growled, "You can never defeat me! Go Aerodactyl! Rock slide now!"  
  
The rock slide downed Golbat.  
  
Brock gasped. "Golbat! Okay, then, Ninetails, go!"  
  
"Starmie, ice beam!"  
  
The beam froze Aerodactyl solid.  
  
Misty jumped in the air. "Yay!"  
  
"Ninetails, hyper beam!"  
  
Aerodactyl fainted.  
  
" Nice job, Brock!"  
  
Giovanni gritted his teeth. "Dragonite, destroy them all! Thunder!"  
  
The storm knocked Starmie out.  
  
"Starmie! Are you okay?"  
  
"Ninetails can't move!"  
  
"Dragonite, surf!"  
  
Ninetail's flame went out.  
  
"NO!"  
  
"Misty calls, Seadra!"  
  
Brock pulled out another Pokeball. "Go, Golem! Rock slide!"  
  
The rock slide buried Dragonite.  
  
"Seadra, blizzard!"  
  
They hit Dragonite where it hurt the most.  
  
Giovanni fell to his knees. "How," he shouted.  
  
Misty and Brock cried, "Yesss," and high-fived. Giovanni recoiled, running past them. James rushed to Jessie. "James," she said weakly. He pulled off his shirt and offered it to her. She put it on and hugged him.  
  
"Thank you both," James said. "But why did you help us?"  
  
"We'd never stand in the way of true love," Misty said.  
  
Jessie looked at James, wide-eyed. "It's true, Jessie," James said. "Without you, I don't want to live."  
  
"Oh, James." They kissed.  
  
"Halt, by the order of the Viridian police," a bullhorn blared outside. They rushed to the window. On the ground were Ash and Delia, talking to Officer Jenny and Giovanni being hauled away in a squad car.  
  
Epilogue  
  
Jessie finally saw the dangerous error she had made. She had also opened her eyes to the love she shared with James. Within a few weeks of her horror, she became Mrs. James Fauntleroy [I figured since James was a spoiled rich kid, he'd have to have a snooty last name] in a beautiful ceremony attended by Ash, Misty, Brock, Pikachu, Togepi and Delia, among others.  
  
Thanks to Ash's quick thinking, he called the police when he saw Giovanni escaping. They caught him before he could leave Viridian. They commended Ash for bringing down the notorious leader of Team Rocket.  
  
Giovanni was sentenced to 40 years in prison, without parole. Now that Giovanni was in the clink, who would run Team Rocket?  
  
All of the other female members of Team Rocket came forward with tales of harassment and abuse at the hands of Giovanni. They thanked Jessie and James, for, without them, everything would stay the same, and they would continue to live in fear. Jessie and James were nominated to head Team Rocket, and they won the election.  
  
Ash forgave Jessie for breaking his collarbone, which healed fine. But he couldn't help but wonder, "Will they continue to covet Pikachu?" 


End file.
